To Live A Dream
by SolarRuby17
Summary: Luke, Jade, and the whole cast get pulled into a twisted world where time has no meaning. Given all the time in the world, will the personallities of Tales of the Abyss be able to get along? And what is this "Dreamer" guy's stake in it? Hopefully, no one will get hurt. Hopefully... Dream!Fic
1. Chapter 1

**To Live A Dream**

* * *

_Dream!Fic alert! - A Tales of the Abyss fanfiction_

_note: due to the nature of this story, I messed with everyone's ages. So let's just say everyone is some 4 or 5 years older. Except Jade. He's old enough. Though, I guess that technically makes this story AU? Whatever..._

* * *

Chesedonia. The closest thing you could get to a wasteland and a wonderland at the same time.

Or, at least that what Luke thought, as he sat at the only bar in the whole city, staring glumly at the brown liquid before him.

"My, my. What's got our brave hero so down?" Someone said from behind him.

Luke ignored the comment, taking another swish of his drink as Jade sat down beside him.

"What, did Tear not want you in her room at the inn again? Someone must have been as very bad boy." Jade said, his voice his usual brand of seriousness.

The bartender came by, dropping off a drink for Jade. "Ya'know Jade, now might be as good a time as ever to stop picking on Luke." The bartender, who happened to be Guy, said.

"Ah, Guy. I would love to, but it's just so much fun watching Luke stew like this." Jade said, adjusting his glasses as he grinned. Evilly.  
Luke slammed his tab down on the bar and left.

Luke was just about to leave when Anise, Natalia and Tear came walking in, who promptly drug him back to join the others.

"Luke? Is something wrong?" Tear asked, looking concerned.

"It's just all this running around. It's left him exhausted. The pressure of saving the world is alot to put on someone who's only been around for seven years." Guy said, passing beers around to everyone. Except Anise, who got water.

"Boooo. "

* * *

Everyone arrived back at the inn later, after the desert sun long had set.

"This whole saving the world stuff is hard." Luke said, throwing himself onto his bed.

"We're almost done. We just need to go get Ion from Daath to open the last few Daathic seals, then we can go after Van." Guy said, leaning against the room's doorframe. "Get some rest. You look like you need it."

* * *

Ion stood at the window of his room. From this high up, one could see for miles in any direction. The sun was setting to the west guardian mountains, and the sky was a brilliant pink. Ion sighed, sitting back down at his desk. Being Fon Master was a lot more work than a lot of people thought. "Just one more stack of documents, then it's off to bed."

* * *

'The great and beautiful Dist the Rose gallivanted over the land on his masterfully built flying throne, looking for those who would stand in the way of fulfilling his majestic goals.' Dist said to himself, making a great show of looking around.

"Who on earth are you talking to, you crazed loon?" Sync grumbled, rolling his eyes at the flamboyant God-General. Not that anyone could tell, with the mask and all...

"Quite, Sync, you impudent brat! I am not crazy! I am beautiful!" Dist shot back, going into full-blown fit-throwing mode.  
"Sure, keep telling yourself that." Sync said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

In the distance, Largo facepalmed.

"Will you two shut it!" Asch yelled, causing the two bickering God-Generals to cower in fear.

In the distance, Van facepalmed.

Everyone was interrupted when Legretta shot a bullet of into the air. "Ok everyone. Make camp here. Tomorrow, we make for the Absorption Gate. Dist will go and capture the Fon Master again."

Dist stood up in his chair and made an extravagant bow. "As you wish, Legretta the Quick."

Sync gave him a dirty look. Though no one could see it behind his mask. Again.

And they all set up camp.

* * *

Van sat on a hill overlooking the western ocean. The clear night sky reflected in the dancing waves. "How did I end up commanding the biggest group of fools ever."

"Maybe if you hadn't set out looking for us, you wouldn't have to be commanding us." Legretta said, coming up behind Van. "And because we are the only ones who hate the Score as much as you."

Van gave a small smile. "That is true."

Legretta came up and sat down next to Van.

Van wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer and landing a light kiss on her forehead.

And they spent the night under the stars.

Chapter One - Finis

* * *

_Bah humbug. Many points to address. First thing I would like to say, is the point of fanfiction eludes me, to this day. Why we, the fans, spend hours of our life doing something that holds no real benifet to us is beyond me. But hey, its fun. That is itself may be the reason._

Oh, and Disclaimer! I own nothing, except the basics of this story's scenario, which came to me in a dream. XD Rightful ownership belongs to Namco-Bandi and the Tales Studio.

I would lastly like to thank the authors that inspired me to work on this more seriously. My thanks to: LordCooler, Mark of the Asphodel, MaiMai11, N00dle3gal, Eluamous Nailo, and DarkenedSoul96

Any questions, statements, comments, criticisms and the like would be appreciated. :P

_Cheers!~_


	2. Chapter 2

**To Live A Dream**

* * *

_Chapter Two_

_Due to the fact that I am confusing myself with the character's ages now, I figured I'd write them all down - Luke:21 Tear:22 Jade:34 Guy:25 Anise:16 Ion:16 Natalia:21 Noelle:24 Van:36 Legretta:34 Badaq:43 Saphir:34 Sync:16 Arietta:18 Asch:21 The Dreamer:Immortal Nephry:36 Jasper:33 Peony:35 Moes:58 Gelda:37 Jozette:44 Aslan:44_

* * *

Luke awoke the next day feeling as rested as ever. He yawned, stretching out his stiff limbs. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he realized, much to his astonishment, that he was no longer in the inn.

"What the hell?!"

As far as he could see, there was nothing but pure white nothingness before him. He looked around franticly. The bed he had been sleeping on was no longer there.

Even his shadow was gone.

He started to panic, when something grabbed his arm. Luke recoiled, falling on his rear in the process. Tear stood over him, an admonishing look on her face.

"W-what was that about!" Luke yelled, picking himself up.

Tear just shook her head. "Come on, we need to find the others."

"Fine, fine. But... How do you intend to find anyone out here. Where ever 'here' is." Luke asked, crossing his arms.

Tear looked around, unsure. "I... Don't really know."

Luke let out an overblown sigh. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

Guy pulled his face out of his pillow, grunting at the constant poking. "Ok, I'm up, what is it you want?"

Natalia and Noelle were standing over him, looking very concerned. Guy immediately recoiled at their proximity. "What do you want!" Guy yelped, before taking a glance around. "Oh."

Jade stood in the midst the white abyss, looking puzzled.

"Nothing fazes you, does it colonel? " Anise said, shouldering an unconscious Ion.

Jade turned to look at their third party. "Hm, seems like the dimensional travel rendered his frail body rather taxed. Not unusual of a replica."

Anise just looked at him incredulously. "A replica! Ion's a replica!?" The fon master attendant screeched.

Jade just pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "Why yes, Anise. I had thought you had known. The real Ion died three years ago."

Anise just stared wide-eyed at the Coronel.

"Anyways, let's be going, shall we." And Jade walked off into the never ending white.

* * *

Asch wanted to bang his head up against something. Only, there was nothing around to be made his victim. Other then the tree other God-General's behind him. Sync, Arietta, and Dist walked close behind him, the three of them all caught up in another of their ridiculous arguments. Asch sighed, ignoring those behind him as he continued his march.

* * *

Van marched with grim relentlessness around the white abyss, a scowl never leaving his face. He would not let something as foolish as getting lost in this twisted world disrupt his plans for Lorelei.

"Commandant, look!" Legretta said, pointing towards a black dot in the distance. Van glared at the speck for a moment, before trudging of in its direction. Legretta and Largo followed close behind.

Before long, they had made it there. Under a spotlight of black, sat a ornately carved door of the same onyx color.  
Van stared in perplexment at this oddity. Quickly shaking off the shock, Van made a loop around the door. It wasn't attached to anything. Just a door, hanging by itself, in the middle of this perfect abyss.  
Van hesitantly reached for the knob, his companions anxiously watching.

* * *

"Welcome!" A booming voice echoed, catching Van off guard. He stared in astonishment at what was before him.

If the huge white face-mask floating in the air wasn't enough to startle him, the fact that Luke, Luke's companions, and the remaining God-Generals that stood in the luxurious room was.  
Keeping as level a head as was possible right now with this absurd turn of events, Van spoke, "Would someone explain to me what is going on?"

Luke sat back, crossing his legs over the nearby footrest. "You see that guy?" He said, motioning toward the giant grinning face. "He called himself 'The Dreamer' and he has indentured us to live in his world for as long as he wants, or until he 'wakes up'."  
The Dreamer nodded happily at Luke's explanation.  
"Oh, and one more thing. If any of us tries to kill anyone else, that Dreamer guy will erase you from existence."

Van stood dumbfounded at what was before him.  
"So, Vandesdelca," The Dreamer began, looking very happy. "Feel free to make yourself comfortable in my world."

"How do I get out of here." Van said after a minute of silence.

"You can't!" The Dreamer said, laughing rancorously. "You are here as long as I want you to be! Don't worry though. When I let you out, no time will have passed."

Van just turned to leave, quite finished listening to such nonsense.

"So while you're here, you might want to find something to occupy your time. Or, rather, _someone._"

Van grimaced as he felt the floating head give him a nudge. If that was even possible.  
Pushing his way out, followed by Legretta, Van emerged in a field of rolling green hills.  
Van sighed. This could get very old.

* * *

Luke glanced around the brightly colored room. The room itself was even more extravagant then Astor's mansion. In the corner, Luke saw Natalia talking to Asch, who, as unlikely as it seemed, was taking The Dreamer's advice on finding an adventuring partner.

At least, that what he thought there were doing, right? Adventuring? Why else would they want to pair up?

Shaking the thought out of his head, Luke continued looking around. Anise sat on a couch, nursing the weary Ion back to health. Jade was having a lively conversation with Saphir over on the balcony. Dist had oddly enough proclaimed that as long as they were here, he would like to be called his real name.  
Luke shook his head again, this time at the ridiculousness of that man.

Sync was in the corner scowling angrily at Anise and Ion, though neither of them noticed. Guy was talking to Noelle, about what looked like various fontech stuff, given how animated Guy was being. Largo was standing in the corner like a statue, not-so-stealthily watching Natalia for some reason. Arietta was sitting in a corner-,

'_This place sure has a lot of corners'_

-clutching her doll close to her chest as she cautiously stared intently at the crowd. And Tear... Where was she?

"She's right behind you." The Dreamer said, appearing right in front of Luke.

The startled and slightly scared-out-of-his-wits Luke fell out of his chair backwards, ending up taking Tear with him to the floor, landing in a slightly awkward position.

"Glad to see you to getting along so well, though I suggest you to find a less public area." The Dreamer said, chuckling cheerily, before turning and... floating away.  
Luke and Tear quickly got up, red-faced and sputtering nonsense about how they weren't 'like that'. Then Luke noticed something.

"Wait! You can read our thoughts?!"

"Yup! I see everything you think!" The Dreamer replied, like it was the most normal thing in the world. "And I do mean everything." He said, adding a little eyebrow jiggle to enunciate his point.

Luke and Tear's faces turned red again.

* * *

They must have been there for at least three hours, as the sun was starting to set. Which only Jade seemed to think was weird, seeing how it had only been in this world for six hours tops. But no one else seemed to notice. Or care.

Pushing his glasses back up before sinking his hands back into his pockets, Jade glanced around the room.

Most people had gone to the other rooms of the mansion to see where they would be sleeping for the next... Unprecedented amount of time. Asch and Natalia had left about an hour ago to check out the outside world, with Largo going to 'keep an eye on them'. Saphir was sleeping on the nearby couch, snoring loudly. Noelle was standing out on the balcony watching the sunset. And Arietta was still standing in the corner staring, curiously enough, right at him.

Jade walked over to the girl, who took a step back farther into the corner as he approached.

"What are you doing over here all alone." He said is a dull tone.

Arietta just shot him a death glare. "You were the one who killed mommy." She said in a sad voice. "You were the one..." She choked out, tears forming in her eyes.

Jade may have been a cold man, but for the first time in a long while, he felt the weight of his action. Jade had been around for a fair bit of time, and he knew well that none of the God-General's had particularly happy stories. Arietta's home, the isle of Feres, was destroyed along with Hod, and when she washed up on shore, she was adopted by the liger queen. And he had killed her only family.

Jade took a step back. In his musings, he had missed it when Arietta had curled up beneath him, quietly sobbing. Jade reached out to offer a comforting word, but thought better of it. He quietly turned to leave. His step was interrupted when something grabbed his leg.

"Tell me why. Tell me why you killed mommy." She said, barely audible. "Tell me why!"

Jade knelt down to her level, glaring at her red, tear-stained eyes. "She was going to kill us, and many others. As well as Fon Master Ion." He said, as evenly as ever. His truth was brutal, as always.

Arietta just looked more sad. She curled back up, but did not cry. Jade could not help but feel sympathy for her, for whatever reason.

"I'm sorry." he said, wiping a tear from her cheek. Arietta was startled by his action. And so was he.

Arietta threw herself into Jade's arms, crying quietly into his uniform. Jade took a slight step back, startled by her sudden move.

Uncomfortably, Jade wrapped his hands around her, giving her an awkward sort of comforting hug. At least, the best he was capable of.

Noelle walked in from the balcony, just as Jade hugged her. She raised her eyebrow.

"How cute." The Dreamer said. Noelle had a very hard time not jumping out of her skin at his sudden appearance. She hoped he wouldn't always be like that. Sighing, she quietly walked out of the room.

Just as she was about to open the door, Luke burst through, flustered and thoroughly panicked.

"DREAMER!" He cried, causing everyone in the room to jump. Jade and Arietta quickly backed away from each other, Jade coughing awkwardly.

"Yes?" The floating face replied with a singsong sweetness.

After glaring awkwardly at the face's behavior, Luke managed to speak. "There are only like, nine rooms here! And, like, fifteen of us!"

The face gave a positively terrifying sweet-evil grin, which was only magnified by the fact that it was a seven foot tall head. "Yes? And your point? And you all know the rules. All occupants must sleep in the designated bedrooms. Speaking of..."

The couch Saphir was sleeping on vanished, causing him to fall to the floor with a thud. Saphir woke up kicking and screaming. "How dare you! Who did that! I demand to know!" He cried, standing up and dusting his suit off.

The Dreamer just smiled at him.

Jade let out an exhausted sigh, making his way past Luke. "I'm going to bed." Was all he said.

Just as he was about to close the door behind him, the entrance door was flung open, Natalia walking through.  
"Jade!" She called out. Jade sighed, walking back out. "Ah, there you are. There are a bunch of people outside who want to see you."  
Jade raised an eyebrow. More people?  
"Yup. I thought you guys could use some more company." The Dreamer said, hovering over Jade, smiling happily.  
Asch and Largo walked in, motioning for Jade to come outside. Jade shrugged his shoulders, walking out.

As soon as Jade was outside, someone wrapped him in an iron hug.  
Jade recoiled in shock, fixing his glass back to their place.

"Nephry?" Jade said, rather befuddled. Then again, not much really surprised him anymore.

"Jade! Where are we?" His sister cried, sounding rather afraid.

"We are in a trans-dimensional pocket world controlled by an all knowing face who has us here for his own amusement." Jade said, in a perfectly even voice.

Nephry just looked at him in shock. Jade gave her his most reassuring smile. Which wasn't saying much.

Looking over her shoulder to see who else had arrived, his smile vanished.

An odd assortment of people stood before him, looking rather perplexed at the world around them.

There was General Ceclille and General Frings, who both looked the least befuddled. Emperor Peony, who looked like he didn't care where he was. Actually, he was just sitting in the grass, looking at the last of the sunset. Jasper Cadogen, Jade's friend from his days in military training was there as well. How the heck did he, of all people, end up here? Jade repressed a shrug. Van and Legretta had come back, looking rather distraught at the lack of an escape. Then there was The Grand Maestro Mohs, who looked rather upset, and the last of them... The one that had really caught his attention.

Gelda Nebilim stood there, looking as alive and well as when he had last seen her. Over fifteen years ago.

Turning back to Nephry, Jade gave his best artificial smile. Which he was very good at doing. "If you would be so kind, Dreamer, to show our guests around. I'm rather tired, and will be retiring to my room for the rest of the night.

The Dreamer popped out of nowhere next to Jade. "Will do." It said, smiling happily. "Right this way."

Jade collapsed in his bed a little later. Luckily, he had gotten a room that had yet to be claimed by anyone. He blew some strands of hair out of his face, thinking about their current predicament. He had seen some strange things in life, and done things stranger still. But being in a situation like this was beyond even his scope.

So, a giant, slightly evil-ish, omnipotent floating head was running a virtual zoo, with them as it's exhibits.

And it was reviving his dead teacher. He let out a long, drawn out sigh.

He wondered if The Dreamer was actually planning to ever let them out.  
"Yes I am!" It yelled from the other side of the door.  
Jade raised an eyebrow. Why was he on the other...  
"I have wards set up to keep me out of the bedrooms. So, at least while you in there, you'll have some privacy from my intrusions."  
Jade was smart enough not to enquire about the things behavior. Though it probably knew what he was thinking anyways.

What a pain.

* * *

Chapter Two - End

* * *

_Lets here it for tottaly random stories. I honestly have no idea why this, of all my fics, is so progressed. (Compared to the others) I know you probably think it's terrible, and if you do, LET ME KNOW!_

Jasper is from the Jade manga mini-series. ;P Just thought I would throw him in there for good measure.

Cheers!~


	3. Chapter 3

**To Live A Dream**

_If you have read this far, thank you._

* * *

_Chapter Three_

Jade walked into the main room, hands in his pockets and a smile on his face. The morning sun shined brightly through the open windows, accompanied by a soft breeze. Today would have been a perfect morning...

If they weren't trapped in another world.

Jade walked into what had been designated as the kitchen area of the mansion. The Dreamer, who had sprouted two ghostly hands, along with Legretta and Tear, were making what smelled like breakfast for everyone. Most of the other early risers sat around the nearby tables, each engaged in their own lively conversations.

Jade still couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong here. How could a group of people who had just recently wanted to kill each other be behaving so amicably?

His train of thought was terribly disrupted when Saphir came up and gave his a big, very uncomfortable hug.  
"My darling Jade! How nice of you to join us!"  
Easily pushing Saphir off him, Jade corrected his glasses, preparing to deck Dist into next week.

"Now now, colonel. That's not very nice." Anise said, she and Ion walking into the dining room.

Jade pushed Saphir away, turning to his companions. "Well, well. I assume you two bunked together? Did you have fun?" He said, smiling in that slightly evil-sarcastic way of his.  
Anise's face turned bright red.  
"C-colonel! Not funny!" She said. Ion remained oblivious.  
"Really? I thought it was." he said back, shrugging.  
"Boooo!"

* * *

Luke, Asch, Natalia, Arietta, and Peony entered the room, making them the last ones up. They took their seats at the various tables.

Ignoring the now flustered fon master guardian, Jade made his way to join Jasper, Nephry and Peony at one of the tables. Jade took his seat just as Tear came by, placing plates of food in front of them.

Peony put on a terribly sad face, looking like he was about to cry. Nephry and Jasper looked at him with concerned. Jade just gave him a knowing glare, while taking a bite of his eggs.

"Peony? What's wrong?" Nephry asked.

Peony held up a strip of food from his plate. "Rappig bacon." He sniffed.

"So, Jasper. How were things going for you in the real world?" Jade asked, completely ignoring the pleas of his emperor.

Jasper shrugged. "Well enough. Things in my division have been a bit tense with all the Malkuth-Kimlasca conflict flying around.

Jade merely nodded in response.

The two old friends continued their conversation for some time, well after Peony and Nephry had left. Their conversation was interrupted however, when someone else took a seat at their table.

"Hello Jade. It's... been a long time, huh?" Said Gelda.

Jade simply ignored her, staring off into the distance. Curiously enough, Arietta was at the other end of the room staring back. He raised an eyebrow at that.

"Jade?..."

"Your dead." Jade snapped coldly, before getting up to leave. "Why don't you go haunt Saphir."

Jade stormed off, leaving a distraught Gelda and a befuddled Jasper behind.

* * *

Jade sat on a nearby hill, leaning back against a tree as he stared at the Dreamer's isolated estate.

"Dreamer. Come here." He spoke to the winds. A second later, the floating face materialized in front of him.

"You rang?" It asked, it's normally playful tone missing from it's voice.

With blinding speed, Jade summoned Dunamis and positioned it centimeters away from The Dreamer.

"Why is Professor Nebilim here?" Jade asked with a deadpan calmness. The Dreamer met Jade's gaze with a cold stare of its own.

The Dreamer snapped one of its ghostly fingers, and it and Jade were teleported to the white abyss he first awoke in.

"You see like an intelligent man, Jade. So I'll tell you a bit about me and this place." The Dreamer began, floating away from Jade's axe. "I have created this world through a unique form of fonon control. I can do anything in it, as you have seen. And as you know, each person has a unique fonon frequency. All I had to do is retrieve Gelda's frequency and restore her. It's the original Professor. Not your defective replica."

Jade dismissed his weapon, staring down the head.

"Why?" Was all he said.

The Dreamer gave him a benevolent smile. "Because I want you people to be happy."

Jade raised an eyebrow at that.

"I've watched your quest to save Auldrant. Heroes of your stature deserve some consolation."

"Then why did you bring Van and his God-Generals here?" Jade questioned.

The Dreamer chuckled. "Do you honestly believe that any of them are evil? No, they believe they are going to save the world."

"And they deserve happiness too?" Jade asked, beginning to sound amused. The Dreamer nodded in response.

"Sense I'm planning on keeping you here for some time, why don't you try and actually enjoy yourself? Or failing that, why not just learn more about the others?""

Before Jade could respond, he found himself standing back on the hill overlooking the mansion, the Dreamer nowhere in sight.

Jade pushed his glasses back into place, before dropping his hands back into his pockets. "Happiness, huh?"

* * *

Luke walked the many halls of The Dreamer's abode, trying to find where Jade had gone.

"Hey, did you see where Jade went?" He asked Saphir as he passed him in one of the hallways.

"Jade? I believe he said he was going for a walk." Saphir answered, before turning back to the book in his hands.

Luke sighed, quickly making his way outside. Looking around, he saw a speck of blue off on the top of a distant hill.

"You know, for someone who is constantly complaining about how he's so frail, you seem to have had no trouble getting up here." Luke wheezed, pulling himself up the last bit of the hill. Jade just kept looking off into the distance. "Jade? You ok?"

"For years I dreamed of bringing back professor Nebilim. If, for no other reason than to ask forgiveness for my errors. And now she's here, alive." Jade said, his voice striking an odd level of emotion for him.

"Well, If I've learned anything at all, I've learned to learn as you go, and act on your true feelings, regardless of what others think."

Jade glanced at Luke, an awry smile on his face. Jade pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "Sense when did you say that?"

"Well, I've done a lot of thinking sense Akzeriuth..."

"And speaking of acting on your feelings, you seem to have ignored one of your own quite ardently."

Luke rubbed then back of his head, embarrassed. "Yeah, well...Tear and I..."

Jade gave Luke a pat on the shoulder, before beginning his walk down to the mansion.

Jade turned around and called back to Luke. "We're going to be here awhile. Might as well act on it."

"...That was a bit out of character. I wonder what's going on." Lake shrugged, before beginning his own walk back down the hill.

* * *

Jade walked through the mansion doors, nearly tripping over someone in the process.

Righting himself, Jade looked for the one unfortunate enough to run into him. Arietta was on the ground, looking as if she was hurt.

Jade pulled the small girl to her feet, examining her for any injuries. A small cut was on her arm, but she was fine otherwise. Jade pulled a small vial from one of his pockets, dropping some of its ruby contents onto his finger. Gently rubbing the apple gel over the scrape, Jade whispered to her. "Now, what were you doing heading out in such a rush?"

Arietta turned away, her face turning pink. "I-I was looking for you. Dist said you had gone outside."

Jade raised his eyebrow. "And why were you looking for little old me?" He said with mock surprise.

"You were the only person to feel sorry for me, other than Largo. Why did you... comfort me? You're supposed to be the mean one."

Jade was slightly shocked at this. Though he didn't show it, his demeanor did tense up. "I'm not the nice guy you think I am." He said, trying to sound as cold as possible. The last thing he needed was his enemies liking him. Then again, what the dreamer had said...

""But I think you are. A far nicer person then you say you are" she said, clutching her doll closer.

"Well, thank you. I'll keep that in mind." Jade said, turning to leave.

"You lost things important to you too, didn't you. I can see it in your eyes. There so cold..."

Jade froze mid-step.

"You try to hide your pain, and shut others out. You hide behind your sarcastic remarks and your constant smile. You just want to protect others from getting hurt, and hurt yourself in the process."

Jade slowly turned around, pushing up his glasses. "That is some insight you have on you. But you seem to care a bit much, don't you think?

Arietta took a step back. "You just seem so lonely..."

"All I do is hurt people. I killed Gelda. I murdered dozens of replicas. My actions have resulted in thousands dead. And I killed your mother, and, indirectly, the entire island of Feres." Jade said. "I used to kill just for fun... I even tried to kill you, more than once."

"But no matter how much you regret your actions, it won't bring back the one's you've killed. So instead of apologizing, do whatever you can to show you've changed." Luke said, coming in through the door. "Isn't that what you told me?"

Despite the circumstances, Jade laughed. Luke and Arietta looked at him like he was crazy. At least Luke was somewhat used to his oddities.

"I never thought I would be preached to by you, Luke." Jade said, donning his usual smile again. "But I do believe you were off to do something, yes Luke?"

Luke looked at him with a bit of confusion, but before he could say anything, Guy ran up to him with a very panicked look in his eyes.

"Luke! You've got to help me! _It's_after me!" Guy yelled.

Luke looked over his companion's shoulder to see Anise skipping happily toward Guy.

Not waiting for Luke's help, Guy tore off again.

"My, my. Anise, what would compel you to stoop to such torment?" Jade asked the girl as she passed them by.

"I'm trying to help Guy overcome his phobia! 3" She said cheerfully.

"Well, I guess we all need something to entertain ourselves." Jade said with a shrug. "Go at him, Anise."

"You're so mean colonel. ;3" She said, before cheerfully pursuing her quarry.

"Anise sure seems happy..." Arietta said, watching the fon master attendant disappear around a corner.

"While it is good to see you back to acting like yourself, I think I preferred your depressed, thoughtful self." Luke said, giving Jade a disappointed look.

Jade just shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm always this good-natured and helpful."

Arietta gave a light chuckle at Jade's antics.

"You have serious issues, you know."

Jade just smiled at him.

"Whatever. I'm off to save Guy."

With Luke gone, Jade turned back to Arietta. "Don't you have anyone else to talk to? Surely you would rather spend your time with Ion?"

Arietta gave a sad smile. "I talked with Anise and Ion earlier. The Ion that I knew died. He's just his replica."

Jade raised his eyebrow. "You seem to be taking that news surprisingly well."

"Actually... I am a bit lost now."

"And why is that?"

"With my issue with Ion settled, and Mommy's killers not being as bad as I had thought, I don't know what to do now..."

Jade just stood there looking thoughtful for a second. "From what I have gathered, Van and the God-Generals have something out for Lorelei and the Score. Why are you with the God-Generals?"

Arietta looked rather saddened. "My home was destroyed with Hod, as the Score said. Van promised to bring Feres and my real family back."

Jade was shocked by this, to say the least. "You know that they would all be replicas, right? None of them would even know who you are. Just like Ion."

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence between them.

"Van... Van has nothing left for me. I'm leaving the God-Generals."

Jade was rather tired of being shocked for one day. Though this new did raise his spirits a bit.

"What can you tell me about the other God-Generals?" Jade asked. The more he knew about his enemies the better. Though he wouldn't consider Arietta an enemy anymore...

"Well... The Score said Largo would have a daughter, and that she would be taken from him. After he lost his wife in the wake of that, he left his home, and was later picked up by Van. Legretta had her brother killed in the war at Chesodonia. She hated the score, and Van for that. She tried to kill him, and when she failed, Van made her his second in command. Van gained her trust after that, just by serving under him. I think they have a secret relationship going on."

Jade let out a chuckle. "I believe Sync said back in the Zao Ruins that there was no need for the God-Generals to know each other's past. Why do you know so much?"

Arietta gave a shy smile. "Well, everyone needs someone to vent their emotions to. I'm just picked to be that person. Maybe because I'm the youngest of them?"

Jade gave her a comforting pat on the head. "Well, I would love to hear more about your allies, but I would like to get out of the entryway. All this standing around is hard on my old bones."

Arietta let out a light chuckle. "You're not old. Your younger then Van. Don't act so silly."

"Very well. Shall we go then?" Jade said, holding out his arm.

Arietta hooked her arm in his as they made their way away.

* * *

"Sync and Dist... I don't know anything about them. They rarely talk about themselves." Arietta finished, her and Jade sitting on one of the benches out on the mansion balcony.

Jade looked out at the horizon, contemplating all this new information. It shouldn't be two hard to convince Largo to quit his cause, given his proximity to Arietta. And if his hunch was correct... And Asch was already on their side, and with Gelda back, Dist is likely to just give up as well.

"Jade?"

"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about what you told me." He answered. "If it's all right with you. I need to go see someone else. If you'll excuse me." Jade gave a sorry look to the young God-General, before standing up and making his way back inside.

He barely heard her whisper,

"Thank you, Jade."

* * *

Saphir and Gelda were sitting at one of the dining rooms tables, looking like they were playing the years worth of catch-up that Saphir no doubt had in store. Gelda just sat there listening intently.

"Excuse me?" Jade said, drawing the attention of the other two. Jade calmly took a seat at their table. "Gelda... I don't know if The Dreamer told you anything, but I just thought you should know how sorry I am for what I did to you."

Saphir and Gelda just looked at him, one looked stupefied, the other with the remorseful smile she was always know for.

"My dear Jade. How much you have grown sense then. If you truly mean that , then I forgive you." She said, slowly standing up. "But I knew, even then, that you would grow to be a great man. And look at you now."

She gently placed a soft kiss on his cheek. Jade's expression never changed.

"Thank you, professor." Jade said, correcting his glasses.

Gelda looked at him with a slight sadness. "It looks like you still have a bit to learn though."

Jade nodded his head. "I don't deny it."

Gelda wrapped him in a comforting hug. "You'll come around eventually." She whispered in his ear.

"Professor! I'm right here! Couldn't you save it for someplace more private!" Saphir complained.

Jade, Saphir and Gelda talked for a good long time, before it began to get dark out.

"We should probably turn in, it's getting late." Jade said, stretching his arms out.

"But Jaaaade! We haven't even eaten!" Saphir complained.

"You can eat if you want. I'm heading back myself. Goodbye." Jade said, standing back up.

"Goodnight Jade." Gelda said, waving to him as he walked off.

* * *

Jade tossed his Malkuth military uniform onto his bed, leaving himself in a pair of black pants and grey sleeveless shirt. He let out a sigh. His uniform was getting uncomfortably stale, having been here for days without a change of clothes. Making his way over to the closet and tossing open the door, he let out yet another sigh.

The Dreamer must have been taking fashion advice from Peony. He pulled out a set of clothes that looked mostly like a red and black version of his normal uniform. The cape was a nice touch, too.

He pulled his dirty uniform down and kicked it under the bed which made a small squeak as he did. He let out a sigh. Peony's unkempt habits must be finally rubbing off on him.

Jade froze mid-step. Sense when did clothes squeak? Pulling his uniform out from under the bed and looking into the small crevice, Arietta lay curled up in a makeshift bed. She silently looked into his eyes with a beseeching look. Jade just stood back up and let out a overblown sigh. This girl was getting to be a real... What? Jade didn't even know how to classify the young God-General.

Jade dropped his uniform on the ground and crawled into bed himself. He was to tied to deal with this now. Tomorrow, though...

* * *

Chapter Three - End

* * *

_This is arguably the oddest story I've ever written..._

_In other news, I wonder where all those other characters I summoned up went? Maybe they'll apear later. ;P_

_For those of you who care, it will probably be awhile before I update this again._

_Cheers!~_


End file.
